


in the midst of winter

by sunsetsandsillhouettes



Category: Almost Human
Genre: Domestic, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, M/M, cuddle party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetsandsillhouettes/pseuds/sunsetsandsillhouettes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John comes home to a cold apartment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in the midst of winter

**Author's Note:**

> It's officially 12 a.m. here. Happy Christmas Eve! I'm so excited I'm practically incoherent, and thus is this drabble. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope everybody has a lovely holiday! Enjoy!

"Jesus, why is it so cold in here?"

He says this to his empty living room, breath fogging even indoors. John is convinced that the air in his apartment is even colder than the air outside, which really is something, considering it's twenty degrees Fahrenheit out there. He pulls his jacket tighter around him, shivering, and goes to find the other inhabitants of his apartment.

He finds Valerie and Dorian snuggled up in the bed, looking appealing and slightly conspiratorial under the covers, their sole tiny space heater plugged into the wall in the corner of the room. It's more for Valerie's benefit than anything else -- the snuggling, that is. John thinks there might be a limit (because he might overheat), but Dorian can warm his body to the temperature of a human, even higher if he wants. Valerie and John are constantly mooching off it, Valerie more so in her state of perpetual coldness. It's a miracle she can survive the winter. 

John doesn't actually see the pair so much as assume and hope that they're both alive and/or functioning under the mass of probably every blanket they own.

"If you wanted to kill me, there are more humane ways than hypothermia." John says to the tangle of limbs under the covers. 

"I live here, too. So freezing you out wouldn't be my best plan of action, as I would also suffer the consequences." Valerie says, very detective-like, before explaining, "The heat went out an hour ago ago. Dorian ventured into the cold abyss --"

"-- the area of our apartment not underneath the covers." Dorian adds helpfully.

"-- to get to the phone and called someone to come out and fix it." Valerie finishes happily, not in the least deterred by the android. She has her back to him underneath the covers, but she braves sticking a hand our from under the thick mass of blankets to wave him over. "Now come here. The more body heat, the better."

John obliges with a grunt, climbing in on all fours despite how ridiculous he looks to get between Valerie and Dorian. He prefers to sleep with them pressed snugly against his sides. It makes him feel more safe and wanted than he's felt in years, to have someone on either side of him. You'd never hear him say it, though (John's pretty sure they know anyway). 

As she has lost Dorian as a source of heat, Valerie twists around to John and slides her arms under his jacket. She settles against him like she belongs there, and she smiles up at him in a way that warms him up instantly. John reaches behind him and pulls Dorian's sleeve towards him in search of optimal warmth. Dorian spoons him from behind (oh God, is there really no better way to say that?) like he usually does, and terminology and the cold aside, John is happy. 

"For a second there I thought I was going to be excluded from the cuddle party." John can practically hear the smirk on Dorian's face as he says this, and he swipes at him blindly.

"One, never call this a cuddle party ever again. Two, I'm just using you for your artificial heat." John says, and Valerie laughs, bright and mesmerising. 

Despite her laughter, Valerie mock-punches John in the shoulder. "Don't be mean or I'll exclude you from the cuddle party."

John groans, burying his head in Valerie's shoulder. "Oh, my god. The phrase 'cuddle party' is hereby banned."

"I believe John no longer wants to participate in the cuddle party." 

"I think so, too, Dorian. We should kick him out."

"His heart is cold enough to survive the conditions." 

"I hate you both."


End file.
